As already noted, the gross revenue derivable by the railways from the transportation of a carload consisting of fifteen tons of fourth class freight between Chicago and New York is the same now that it was in 1897--_i. e._, $105.00. But $105.00 is worth much less to any railway now than it was in 1897 for money is worth at any time what it will buy at that time. The reports of the Interstate Commerce Commission show the following increases in rates of average daily wages paid to railway employees: Wages per day. Class of Employees. ------------------------- Increase, 1897. 1907. per cent. Station agents $1.73 $2.05 18.50 Other stationmen 1.62 1.78 9.88 Enginemen 3.65 4.30 17.81 Firemen 2.05 2.54 23.90 Conductors 3.07 3.69 20.20 Other trainmen 1.90 2.54 33.68 Machinists 2.23 2.87 28.70 Carpenters 2.01 2.40 19.40 Other shopmen 1.71 2.06 20.47 Section foreman 1.70 1.90 11.76 Other trackmen 1.16 1.46 25.86 Switchmen, flagmen and watchmen 1.72 1.87 8.72 Telegraph operators and despatchers 1.90 2.26 18.95 Employees, account floating equipment 1.86 2.27 22.04 All other employees and laborers 1.64 1.92 17.07 The foregoing affords a means of ascertaining the real value of $105.00 of railway gross receipts in 1897 and 1907 and the decrease from the earlier to the later year. The following table shows the number of days labor of each of the different classes of railway labor which $105.00 would buy in each of the years indicated: Number of days labor purchasable for $105.00. Class of Employees. ------------------------ Decrease, 1897. 1907. per cent.